Lexington-Richland School District Five students demonstrated strong academic achievement and continued growth across the 2026 SC READY Scores, with students outperforming statewide averages on every assessment area and making significant gains in mathematics.

The results provide encouraging evidence of sustained student growth and highlight the district’s continued focus on strong instruction, academic achievement and preparing students for success beyond high school, according to a news release.

“While assessment results are only one measure of student learning, they provide valuable insight into what our students know and are able to do,” Superintendent Akil E. Ross Sr. said. “These results reflect the hard work of our students, teachers, school leaders and families. We are particularly encouraged by the significant gains in mathematics and the continued strong performance of our students compared to the state. At the same time, we remain committed to examining areas where we can improve and ensuring every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

The South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments measure student achievement in English language arts, science and mathematics for students in grades 3-8.

In ELA, District Five students increased the percentage meeting or exceeding expectations by 0.4 percentage points from 2025 to 2026 and outperformed the state by 4.8 percentage points. Nearly every grade level from third through eighth grade showed an increase in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations. The largest gain occurred in third grade, which increased by 4.4 percentage points.

Mathematics results showed even more significant growth.

The percentage of District Five students meeting or exceeding expectations in mathematics increased by 6.5 percentage points from 2025 to 2026. District Five students also outperformed the state by nearly 7.4 percentage points.

The strongest gains occurred in the middle grades:

• Sixth grade: Increased 6.1 percentage points
• Seventh grade: Increased 12.3 percentage points
• Eighth grade: Increased 13.5 percentage points

District Five students also showed improvement in science. Fourth- and sixth-grade students increased their performance from 2025 and continued to outperform students across the state.

The End-of-Course Examination Program includes assessments in Algebra 1, Biology 1, English 2 and United States History and the Constitution. The assessments measure student mastery of specific course standards and are included as part of a student's final course grade. District Five students continued to outperform statewide results in Biology 1, English 2 and United States History and the Constitution. While the percentage of students earning a C or higher decreased in each subject area compared with previous years, District Five students remained above the state in every area. The district also continued to outperform the state when looking at the overall EOC passage rate.

English 2 was particularly strong, with a 92% passage rate among District Five students.

Biology 1 results were also affected by a change in course sequencing. In 2025, Biology 1 was recommended primarily for 10th-graders. In 2026, the recommended sequence included Biology 1 for both ninth- and 10th-grade students, resulting in roughly 1,000 additional students taking the course compared with the previous year. Going forward, Biology 1 will be part of the recommended science sequence for ninth-grade students.

District Five students also demonstrated strong performance on the South Carolina Career Readiness Assessment Results, which is administered to students in their third year of high school.

The assessment measures four areas — data, math, reading and soft skills — that reflect transferable skills employers identify as foundational for career readiness.

District Five students scored above the state average on all four subtests, and every component increased from the previous year.

The math, reading and data assessments are also used together to determine a student's Career-Ready Credential. In 2026, 64.2% of Lexington-Richland School District Five students earned a Level 3 or higher Career-Ready Credential, an increase of 2.1 percentage points over the previous year.

A Level 3 credential indicates readiness for career pathways identified within the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET Job Zone 3. Levels 4 and 5 indicate readiness for progressively higher Job Zone pathways that require greater levels of education, training, experience and preparation.